11- From the excellence of these words is that for the slave of Allaah they are Sadaqah (giving charity) when he says each one of them.

It is collected by Muslim in his ‘Saheeh’ from Abu Dharr –Radi Allaahu anhu: Some of the companions of the Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– said:

‘O Messenger of Allaah, the affluent have made off with the rewards, they pray as we pray they fast as we fast, and they give away in charity the extra of their wealth.’

He –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– said:

‘Has not Allah made things for you to give away in charity?

Every Tasbihah (saying: Subhana Allaah) is a charity, every Takbirah (saying: Allaahu Akbar) is a charity, every Tahmidah (saying: al-Hamdu lillaah) is a charity, and every Tahlilah (saying: la illaah ila Allaah) is a charity, to enjoin a good action is a charity, to forbid an evil action is a charity, and in having relations with your wife is a charity.’

They said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, when one of us fulfils his desire (with his wife) will he have some reward for that?’

He –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– said:

‘Do you not think that if he were to act upon it unlawfully he would be sinning? Likewise, if he has acted upon it lawfully he will have a reward.’ [Saheeh Muslim]

The poor people thought that there was no Sadaqah except by giving money, and they were incapable of doing that, so the Prophet –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam–informed them that all types of good actions and being good is Sadaqah, and the Prophet –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– mentioned that at the head of good actions are these four statements ‘Far is Allaah from imperfection, and all praise be to Allaah, and there is none worthy of worship in truth except Allaah, and Allaah is the Greatest,’ (Subhana Allaahi, wal hamdu lillaahi, wa la illaah ila Allaah, wa Allaahu Akbar).

7- From their excellence is that Allaah chose these statements and chose them for His slave, and Allaah has set aside for the one who remembers Allaah saying them, with great and abundant reward.

In the ‘Musnad’ of Imam Ahmad and ‘Mustadrak’ of al-Hakim with an authentic Isnaad from the hadeeth of Abu Huraira and Abu Sa’eed –Radi Allaahu anhumma: that the Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– said:

‘Indeed Allaah chose four statements: ‘Far is Allaah from imperfection, and all praise be to Allaah, and there is none worthy of worship in truth except Allaah, and Allaah is the Greatest,’ (Subhana Allaahi, wal hamdu lillaahi, wa la illaah ila Allaah, wa Allaahu Akbar). So whoever says ‘Subhana Allaah,’ twenty good deeds are written for him, and twenty bad deeds are taken away. Whoever says ‘Allaahu akbar’ then he gets likewise. Whoever says ‘La illaah ila Allaah,’ then he gets likewise. Whoever says ‘Alhamdulillaahi Rabbil Al-Ameen’ from his own self then thirty good deeds are written for him and thirty sins are cancelled from him.’ [1]

[1] Al-Musnad, al-Mustadrak and ‘Allaama Albaani said in Saheeh al-Jamia’ No.1718 it is Saheeh.

The reward for the slave of Allaah saying al-Hamd (Praise) is increased more than the other four, when he says it from his own self; this is because al-Hamd does not generally occur except after a reason for saying it, like eating or drinking, or the occurrence of a blessing, so it is as if the al-Hamd occurs due to something in return, for that which has been rendered to the slave of Allaah at the time of saying al-Hamd, so if the slave of Allaah mentions al-Hamd from his own self without any pushing factor to do so, nor for a new blessing (which Allaah has given him) then his reward is increased.